Apple Employee: The New iPad's Screen Is 'Truly Amazing' (AAPL)

Apple's next iPad will have a "truly amazing" screen, according to an anonymous Apple employee who spoke with the New York Times. The new iPad's screen will have a high resolution display, likely matching the "retina display" on the iPhone, which makes it impossible to detect pixels. Other than that, the employee said the next iPad would be similar to the iPad 2. It will have the same shape, but will be slightly thicker. It will have a better battery and a faster internal chip. It's going to be revealed in the first week of March. Please follow SAI on Twitter and Facebook.Join the conversation about this story »See Also:THE APPLE INVESTOR: Apple's Mac Is The Only PC Brand Making Progress In EuropeHere's Everything You Wanted To Know About Microsoft's Upcoming iPad KillersApple Will Announce The iPad 3 In The First Week Of March

POGUE: Don't Upgrade To The New iPad If You Already Have An iPad 2 (AAPL)

The new iPad reviews are in. New York Times' tech guru has his own take on Apple's new tablet. He likes it. But while Pogue does seem to like the new iPad's high-resolution Retina display, better camera, and 4G LTE data speeds, he pegs the device as just a minor upgrade from the iPad 2. His advice? Don't buy a new iPad if you already have the iPad 2. Here are a few choice quotes from his review. On naming the new iPad: Really, the new iPad should have been called the iPad 2S. In the past, Apple added the letter S to iPhone models that weren’t exactly new but had been tastefully enhanced (iPhone 3GS, iPhone 4S). That’s exactly what’s going on with the new iPad. Its technical improvements keep it at the forefront of desirability — just ahead of the snapping jaws of its Android competition — but don’t take it in any new directions. On the new Retina display: In principle, that avalanche of pixels (and their increased color saturation) means that photos, videos, maps and text should look jaw-droppingly good — and, in apps that have been rewritten for the new screen, they do. Apple’s own apps, like Photos, Maps and iBooks, are just incredibly sharp and clear. On 4G LTE: Being on LTE flavor of 4G is really, really nice. Apps download quickly. Web pages appear fast. You don’t have to wait for videos to load before they start playing. The Verizon iPads offer tethering — a feature that converts that cellular Internet connection into a Wi-Fi hot spot — so nearby laptops can now enjoy the same high Internet speeds. (AT&T says it’s working to get tethering.) Read Pogue's full review here > Please follow SAI: Tools on Twitter and Facebook.Join the conversation about this story »See Also:Here Are Some Details On The New iPad Apple Didn't Tell YouWhat Everyone Dislikes About The New iPad The New iPad Goes On Sale At 8 A.M. Friday

Facebook, It's Time To Face Facts: You Need Apple More Than It Needs You (AAPL)

It's time for Facebook to go hat in hand to Apple and make a deal to get integrated into its operating systems, iOS and OS X. The two companies have been in a stand off for a long time. In 2010, Steve Jobs said Facebook's "onerous terms" prevented it from being integrated into iTunes social network Ping. We're not sure if that was Steve Jobs bending the truth to his liking, or if Facebook was really asking for something outrageous. Assuming there's some shade of truth to what Jobs said and Facebook was asking for something Apple wouldn't give, Facebook needs to drop it and accept Apple's demands. Why? Because Apple is doing really well without Facebook. It's the most valuable company in the world. It's producing historically great earnings. People are buying iPads and iPhones in droves. What about Facebook? It's doing really well, too! Hundreds of millions of people are using Facebook. It has insane profit margins, and it's legitimate, big business. So, we have two companies that doing just fine operating relatively independent of each other. Why are we suggesting Facebook blink first, then? Because Facebook's core mission, according to Mark Zuckerberg's letter to investors, is "to make the world more open and connected." He also said, "At Facebook, we build tools to help people connect with the people they want and share what they want, and by doing this we are extending people’s capacity to build and maintain relationships." Apple's core mission is to make insanely great products. Apple doesn't need Facebook to achieve its mission. Facebook, on the other hand, needs Apple to achieve its core mission. As Apple's integration of Twitter shows, it can be super easy to share things through iOS and OS X. If Facebook wants people sharing more, then it needs to be a part of Apple's world. So, Facebook, it's time to go back to Apple. It's time to say, "We're ready to work with you, on your terms." Unless, Apple has truly outrageous terms. In which case, screw those guys. You're doing pretty well as it is. If anyone knows what's going on between these companies, let us know at jyarow@businessinsider.com. Please follow SAI on Twitter and Facebook.Join the conversation about this story »See Also:Apple Retaliates Against New York Times For Exposing Apple's Labor PracticesOh, Please, New York Times, Get Over Yourself — You Don't Have A God-Given Right To Interview Apple's CEOApple Should Make The Upgrade To Its New Mountain Lion OS Free

Apple Just Beat Samsung To Become The Number One Smartphone Maker On The Planet (AAPL)

Remember a few weeks ago when Samsung said it shipped 35 million smartphones in Q4 2012? (Estimates had actual sales pegged at 32 million.) It was supposed to spell doom for the iPhone. Well, Apple is back on top. The company just announced its iPhone sales numbers for Q4 2012: 37.04 million. That likely makes Apple the number one smartphone manufacturer on the planet. Samsung just got Samsunged. Please follow SAI: Tools on Twitter and Facebook.Join the conversation about this story »See Also:Steve Jobs Wanted To Put Lytro's Magical Camera Tech In The Next iPhoneIt Took A Long Time For Hackers To Jailbreak The iPad 2 And iPhone 4SUsing Your iPhone: Answers To 13 Questions You Were Afraid To Ask

Android Can't Even Keep Up With Apple's Three-Year-Old iPhone Camera On Flickr (AAPL)

The iPhone 4S is now the second-most popular camera phone on Flickr after coming out just more than a month ago. The iPhone 4 is still the most popular camera phone on Flickr. It's also the most popular camera overall. There's only one Android-powered phone that even comes close to competing with Apple's phones. Even the iPhone 3G, which is now three generations old, is still crushing it. The iPhone 4S sports a better camera with improved sensor and a revamped lens.       Please follow SAI on Twitter and Facebook.Join the conversation about this story »See Also:THE APPLE INVESTOR: Despite Rumors, Demand For The iPhone 4S "Record-Breaking"CHART OF THE DAY: Android Is Totally Blowing Away The CompetitionLinkedIn's CardMunch App Is Slow As Heck — But Still Nifty

Will The iPhone 5 Have An 8 Megapixel Camera? (AAPL, SNE)

Sony's CEO Howard Stringer let it slip up that the iPhone 5 will be equipped with an 8 megapixel camera, or at least that's what many people think. Here's how it happened: at a conference, Stringer said that the Japanese tsunami would affect supplies of camera sensors made by Sony for Apple iPhones. But none of the iPhones that currently ship have cameras made by Sony. And Sony has a new camera for phones that is 8 MP and really well regarded (so fit for Apple), and a previous report had said that the iPhone 5 would have an 8 MP camera from Sony. So people like 9to5 Mac and Electronista are putting two and two together and saying this means the iPhone 5 will have an 8 MB camera. It's certainly plausible. We'll see. Don't Miss: Apple's iPhone 5 Delay Just Opened The Door For Google And Microsoft →Join the conversation about this story »See Also:Wall Street Starts Cutting Apple Estimates Due To iPhone 5 "Delay"THE APPLE INVESTOR: Could Apple Be Gearing Up For An Epic Fall Season?Apple's iPhone 5 Delay Just Opened The Door For Google And Microsoft

AT&T Is Getting Its First Two LTE Phones And Expanding The Network To Four More Cities (T)

AT&T is about to get its first two LTE phones courtesy of Samsung and HTC. Samsung now has a new LTE-powered model of the Galaxy S II called the Skyrocket. It goes on Sale November 6 for $250 with a two-year contract from AT&T. It features most of the same specs as the current Galaxy S II, but with the addition of LTE data speeds. HTC's new phone is called the Vivid. It has a 4.5-inch touchscreen, 1.2 GHz dual-core process, and an 8 MP camera that shoots 1080p. The Vivid will be available on November 6 for $199.99 on a two-year contract. On November 6 AT&T will also be expanding its LTE coverage to four new cities: Boston, Washington D.C., Baltimore, and Athens, GA. It's also available in Atlanta, Chicago, Dallas, Houston, and San Antonio. Please follow SAI: Tools on Twitter and Facebook.Join the conversation about this story »See Also:Samsung Will Make Phones With Flexible Touchscreens Next YearHey Microsoft And Nokia, Here's The Answer To Your ProblemsApple Is Getting In Touch With iPhone 4S Owners Who Complain About Poor Battery Life

Wait -- Did Apple Retaliate, Or Was The New York Times Just Whining?

Last Friday, a story reverberated around that Apple was retaliating against the New York Times for a series of articles the NYT ran about Apple's supply chain practices. (I know the story well because I helped reverberate it.) The story was based on a post by Erik Wemple of the Washington Post, who talked to one New York Times staffer who was sure that retaliation was what was going on: “They are playing access journalism ... I’ve heard it from people inside Apple: They said, 'look, you guys are going to get less access based on the iEconomy series.'” The specific Apple retaliation measures initially cited were twofold:

Apple's decision to give an exclusive interview with Apple CEO Tim Cook to the Wall Street Journal instead of the New York Times, and An apparent quasi-snub of NYT gadget god David Pogue who was said to not have gotten the same access to Apple executives as other reviewers of Apple new operating system

Shortly after the kerfluffle hit the web, however, Pogue weighed in to say that he HAD gotten access to the same Apple executives as other reviewers. So then the theory became that Apple had been shrewd enough to target its retaliation at the New York Times' news desk--the folks who had produced the Apple supply chain stories--rather than at the New York Times in general. This seemed logical given how much excellent press David Pogue generally gives Apple's products and how many Apple products he helps sell. (No one has ever accused Apple of being stupid.) But now, in response to our questions, two NYT staffers have told us on background that they have not seen any evidence of retaliation and that they think that the whole retaliation story is a crock: Staffer 1: Times reporters talk to Apple people all the time about many different stories.  The access we get hasn't changed.  Companies give interviews to different publications all the time.  Everybody in the news business knows and understands that.  I really have no complaints.  Really. Staffer 2: I don't think there's any kind of retaliation... The Times has had plenty of exclusive Jobs interviews, for example, and nobody ran stories about how Apple was "retaliating" against the WSJ or anyone else. In other words, in the opinion of a couple of folks within the Times, the NYT staffer who complained to WaPo's Erik Wemple was just whining (or, worse, making excuses for not landing the Cook interview). This, it bears noting, was the suspicion of our Jay Yarow to begin with. (Having gotten retaliated against frequently as a Wall Street analyst, I found the retaliation story perfectly plausible. But perhaps Apple is above that sort of thing.) So, which is it, NYT news desk? Is Apple retaliating against you? Or are you just whining and making excuses? Please let us know... SEE ALSO: Apple Retaliates Against New York Times For Exposing Its Labor Practices Please follow SAI on Twitter and Facebook.Join the conversation about this story »See Also:Apple Retaliates Against New York Times For Exposing Apple's Labor PracticesAmazon's Next Attempt At Killing The iPad Is Coming In A Few Months7 Popular iPhone Apps That Snoop Into Your Address Book

LEAKED: Pictures Of The iPad 3's Shapely Backside (AAPL)

A leaked image of a bulkier iPad 3 casing has come out via MIC Gadget, and they say it's from one of their most reliable sources. The alleged iPad 3 case maintains the iPad 2's tapered design but looks a little heftier. Everything from the LTE capabilities to the higher resolution display could account for the added thickness. MIC Gadget also notes a larger camera housing, which lines up with other leaked images showing  the iPad 3 would pack a nicer 8-megapixel camera. Here's the photo:

Click here for all the iPad 3 rumors we know about so far > [Via TechCrunch] Please follow SAI: Tools on Twitter and Facebook.Join the conversation about this story »See Also:LEAKED: Now We're Almost Positive The iPad 3 Will Have A Retina Display Like The iPhoneWSJ: AT&T And Verizon Will Sell A 4G iPad 3Apple Has Been Secretly Showing Off An 8-Inch iPad

The Truth About That Microsoft Office On The iPad Story (MSFT)

Earlier today, The Daily reported that it had seen and used a "working prototype" Microsoft Office for the iPad, and that the app will soon be submitted to Apple for approval. But Microsoft is saying the whole story is bogus. A Microsoft spokesperson issued the following statement to us (and other news outlets): "The Daily's story is based on inaccurate rumors and speculation. We have no further comment." The last part of that sounds like a non-denial denial to us. But our understanding is that the software in the picture that The Daily published is fake. Or at least not from Microsoft. Here's our best guess at what's going on, based on how we've seen Microsoft work in the past. Microsoft wants to test how Office on the iPad might work, so it put out a contract to a third-party developer. This developer got excited and spilled the beans. So technically, the software is not from Microsoft. In fact, we suspect that Microsoft hasn't decided what to do. It might end up releasing something that looks like this soon, just as The Daily reported. Or it could build its own version that looks different. Or it might wait until after Windows 8 tablets are on the market for a while to see if the inclusion of Office is a good selling point. If it turns out that Office is selling a lot of Windows 8 tablets, don't look for Office on the iPad -- ever. See also: Here's Why Microsoft Should Put Office On Every Platform Please follow SAI on Twitter and Facebook.Join the conversation about this story »See Also:Microsoft's Chinese Factory Worker Conditions Are The Same As Apple'siPad 3 Will Have A Fantastic 8 Megapixel Camera, According To Latest Leaked ImagesTHE APPLE INVESTOR: Apple's Smartphone Market Share In China Slips